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Aberdeen parents urged to have their say on new school zones

The consultations will be held at Bucksburn Academy on November 24, Kingswells School on November 26, Hazlehead Academy on December 1 and Cults Academy on December 2. They will run from 7pm-8pm.

The Countesswells plan

Parents in Aberdeen are being urged to have their say on plans to shake-up up the school catchment area to make way for a 3,000-home development.

The scheme at Countesswells includes a community centre, 24-acres of employment land and new school facilities, and was granted planning permission in principle in October last year.

Now the council is considering rearranging the school zones for pupils at Cults and Airyhall primary schools and Bucksburn, Cults and Hazlehead academies.

As part of the consultation process, four public meetings will be held.

The new school zones would take effect from August 2016.

It is expected that the first new primary school at the Countesswells development will open in 2019, and the new secondary school is likely to open in 2022.

The proposal also includes the rezoning of Kingswells Primary School, from Bucksburn Academy to the new secondary school at Countesswells.

The public consultation meetings will be held next month, and parents and the wider community are being urged to get involved.

Convener of the council’s education and children’s services committee, Councillor Angela Taylor, said: “The views of parents, pupils and staff and the wider community are crucial to this process.

“I would encourage everyone with an interest in this proposal to take part in the consultation process.”

She was echoed by Lower Deeside councillor Marie Boulton who said constituents have raised concerns with her.

She said: “I have advised anyone concerned to get involved in this consultation.

“A child’s future is the most important thing to a parent and you can understand why they would be concerned about where they go to school.”

The consultations will be held at Bucksburn Academy on November 24, Kingswells School on November 26, Hazlehead Academy on December 1 and Cults Academy on December 2. They will run from 7pm-8pm.

Feedback on the proposals can be submitted to the council before 5pm on Friday, December 18.

A copy of the statutory consultation document will be available throughout the consultation period at Cults, Bucksburn and Hazlehead academies along with several other council sites including Marischal College.